Is Lidocaine a controlled substance?

Lidocaine is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

Lidocaine

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Lidocaine is dosed at 2–5 mg/kg local infiltration not stated in source; max 10 mg/kg in ball pythons, per Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.254 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Usedin Reptiles). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Uncategorized

Routes

local

Indications

ArrhythmiasIsoflurane MAC reductionLocal anaesthesiaLocal analgesiaLocal anesthesiaRegional anaesthesia of the pericloacal arearegional analgesia Regional analgesia of the caudal body Surgical analgesia/anesthesia of the caudal bodyVentricular arrhythmias

Species with Lidocaine dosing data (15 dose rules)

Ball Python Bearded Dragon Blue-tongue Skink Chicken (Poultry)Corn Snake Crested Gecko Eastern Box Turtle Ferret Guinea Pig Pet Rat Rabbit (Domestic)Red-eared Slider Russian Tortoise Sugar Glider Sulcata Tortoise

Evidence levels across 15 dose rules

Moderate×5Weak×10

Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.

Backed by 11 published sources

· 206. Mans C. Clinical technique: intrathecal drug administration in turtles and tortoises. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:67-70. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1414 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2013.11.011 — SOURCE EDITION: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530
· 294. Mans C. Clinical technique: intrathecal drug administration in turtles and tortoises. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:67-70. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.254 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2013.11.011 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

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63. Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.254 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Usedin Reptiles). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530

· Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.254 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Usedin Reptiles). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530

· Hedley J. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary. Part B: Exotic Pets, 10th ed., British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester, UK; 2020. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.709 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Sugar Gliders). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Jepson L. Exotic Animal Medicine: A Quick Reference Guide, WB Saunders, New York, NY; 2009. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.795 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.5 (Cardiovascular Agents Used in Rodents). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Johnson-Delaney C. Ferrets: anaesthesia and analgesia. In: Keeble E, Meredith A, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rodents and Ferrets; British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester, UK; 2009:245-253. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.941 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Ferrets). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Kazemi-Darabadi S, Akbari G, Shokrollahi S. Development and evaluation of a technique for spinal anaesthesia in broiler chickens. N Z Vet J. 2019;67:241-248. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.643 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 6.4 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Analgesic Agents Used in Backyard Poultry,). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755

· Mans C. Clinical technique: intrathecal drug administration in turtles and tortoises. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:67-70. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.245 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2013.11.011 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Mans C. Clinical technique: intrathecal drug administration in turtles and tortoises. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:67-70. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.254 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Schnellbacher RW, Carpenter JW, Mason DE, et al. Effects of lidocaine administration via continuous rate infusion on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Am J Vet Res. 2013;74:1377-1384. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.866 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929